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“The Quarterly Journal of Veterinary Science in India and Army Animal Management” Vol 7 Issue 27 – July 1889

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“The Quarterly Journal of Veterinary Science in India and Army Animal Management” Vol 8 Issue 30 – April 1890

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‘The Veterinarian’ Vol 69 Issue 6 – June 1896

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‘The Veterinarian’ Vol 70 Issue 5 – May 1897

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20 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, Oct 1900

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[FS/2/2/4/2/20]

*[1]

*[2]

[No Salutation]

[[1]] to a rice lover like me begins to pall after a time. We have tried washing the rice for the last day or two to get rid of the sticky mass & get the grains separate. The result would have amused you it was converted into a water pap which I duly swallowed, but I have requested not to trouble further with this process but run on the old lines. In spite of being conservative I did think a fresh pudding would be useful, so I directed a bread pudding to be made. You might ‘Dear Madge’ follow the recipe carefully as you will find it invaluable for home consumption or for the purpose of giving permanent indigestion to your many friends; here it is — Take a sufficient number of slices of bread, place in a commandeered (otherwise stolen) pie dish, cover with water, sprinkle on sugar to taste & bake. Serve hot, & if it is not the nastiest, doughy, indigestible, pasty poultice like mess you have ever seen or tasted you will surprise your ever affectionate Fred ‘Madge’. We did not repeat Madge’s experiment. Even I could not

[[2]] tackle it, it nearly killed the [illeg.] & paralysed the chef. We are still eating plain boiled rice. & the funny thing is that when I get to India I will get little else. You might send me a prescription for a pudding, a beef steak pudding & a currant dumpling would be to me at the present moment as much source of satis-faction[sic], as a big dinner at the Cecil is to many people to night[sic]. Its the crust of the puddings which at present defeats us.

Now breakfast is quite good I get my oatmeal from B’f’tein[Bloemfontein]. I steal my eggs & a paternal Govt provides me with some excellent fat bacon. Butter I have practically not tasted since I left England I cannot eat the tinned filth & practically never think of it. It never occurs to me that I go month after month without even seeing it. But my breakfast is a great success, & Hallet is positively crushed if the meat turns out tough, or the rice insufficiently boiled. I have taught him how to make a stew; good thing I like stews for I have two a day month after month. Yah! that would suit you! Our idiotic hen took it into

[[3]] her red head that she wanted a family, so she gave up “borning” eggs, & took to sitting in one place all day. How Hallet prides himself on his know-ledge[sic] of poultry, but he reported that the hen was “terrible” slow in laying (everything is terrible with him, my mare is terrible thin, or Tommy is terrible fat) & took all day over it & then did nothing. With my intuitive genius in these matters I grasped the situation, & directed Jugguroo to pour over the devoted would be mother a pint of water every time she was found sitting in the nest. The results were quite good, she went off in the sulks for a few days, but has returned with renewed vigour, & brought a pal back (not a male) & these two fight like the devil in the morning for the use of the one nest, for the honour of laying an egg for master.

So Hallet is cheering up, he was much depressed when the hen went off. Now see what a thin veneer civilisation is, & how the savage will come up, I have finally made up my mind that the day I leave here for good, I shall eat that hen & taste poultry for the first time for many weeks. How low one is capable of falling!

[[4]] My cat has kittens, but they never appear at the family mansion. They lie in an outhouse & are positively wild, they spit, fight, bite & scratch any innocent hand extended towards them. I dont[sic] invite ‘Tiddles’ into my part of the show, for to tell you the truth I am not sure she whether her habits are strictly sanitary, at any rate I dont[sic] like the smell. She is fond of the horses & rubs herself up against Tommy’s legs.

The Baccy has arrived. Excellent stuff not quite like I smoked last time but very good. It may be a trifle strong & I want something weak, please therefore send me Wills Capstan Navy Cut Yellow Label Mild & I will try that & see whether that or the Scotch mixture suits me best. I fancy though always a poor smoker that I am not as good as I was.

11 Oct — Kruger[3] declared war this day last year & we are still at it. A force Force came in here this morning & was sniped at a man being shot killed within a mile or two of this place. I should declare peace & then hang every man caught. I would offer a good price & get all the ring leaders. I was so busy yesterday that I could not touch this letter

[No valediction]

(Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study the electronic images of this document where possible)

(https://vethistory.rcvsknowledge.org//archive-collection/fs-working-papers/)

[1] This letter bears no address or date, presumably because it is incomplete

[2] Annotated with ‘3’ (presumably the page number)

[3] Paul Kruger (1825-1904), President of the South African Republic 1883-1900

1 – Letter to Smith from Richard Crawshay, Useless Bay [Inutil Bay], Tierra del Fuego, [Chile], 29 Jan 1905

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Letter 1
FS/3/3/3/1 (1)
Useless Bay,
Tierra del Fuego,

29/1/1905

[[1]]

My Dear Smith,
It was a pleasure to have your letter of Oct. 24 about a fortnight ago.
How good you are in writing!
As I respond, I am wondering how I shall be able to acquit myself in this brief letter in giving you some fairly comprehensible account of my being & doing since last I wrote from the “Milton”.
Yet once again have I realised a complete upset to definite [1 word struck through illeg] plans — the outcome of too little knowledge of what lay ahead.
How curious are these such upheavals &

[[2]]

reversals in our lives!
Yet without where we have done our upmost in shaping a course, they cannot but be for the best — or at least be intended by providence for the best?
Until this reaches you, you will have believed me to be in Patagonia, whereas I am — as you will see — in Tierra del Fuego, still nearer the S. Pole.
On landing in Punto Arenas — in winter — the country proved completely [1 word struck through illeg] impassable in the severest winter [1 word struck through illeg] known since its occupation by history recording man.
There was no prospect of being able to penetrate it for 2 months.
I therefore crossed to Tierra del Fuego, to ‘put in’ time here — this being open: the N. it [1 word struck through illeg] of it at least has proved so splendid a field for [1 word struck through illeg] work that I have remained on, foregoing Patagonia altogether [.] Certainly, all things have worked for the best.

[[3]]

I am indeed thankful to have been driven to visit this weird remote [1 word struck through illeg] intensely fascinating land, so little comprehended by the world without — &, I am constrained to add, by its own people within.
How am I to condense the results achieved during 5 month’s [1 word struck through illeg] strenuous work — constantly on the move, & for the first part of my time in the face of nature’s elements which must be experienced to be adequately realized — I am afraid into [1 word struck through illeg] a brief letter?
I am afraid I cannot, so please take this will for the deed wherein I come short, though impelled by the best of intentions.
It did not take me many days in Fuego to grasp the fact that it’s [sic] largest & most interesting fauna are it’s [sic] Birds. I have therefore, directed my energies mainly to collecting these.
My species now number exactly 60 in

[[4]]

duplicate, triplicate, or more examples of some of them.
It would do your heart good to see the result of my labours — all done perforce by my own hand. It has been heavy work, [1 word struck through illeg] but there is [1 word struck through illeg] something solid to show for it.
There is not a single bad skin in all my 109 specimens.
All have been done with scrupulous care — often too under cruelly trying conditions.
Naturally you will like to hear something of them, in detail:-
In game birds I have 3 species: all Grouse — apparently: the largest weighs rather over 1lb: the smallest 2 ½ oz.! The smallest game Bird in the world I should think: smaller than any Bustard Quail I do not include in Game Birds either Snipe or Geese or Duck — all of which I have.
I have 2 sp. [species] Geese, & 5 of Duck — which are not all there are by any means, but all [1 word struck through illeg] I have been able to acquire.

[[5]]

The Most sensational birds I have — to me at least. are a tiny Reed Warbler no larger than a Bumble Bee, a tiny Black Wren from the depths of the forest at the entrance of Admiralty Sound, a tiny tiny owl from the forest weighing exactly 3 oz, probably the largest Bird of Prey in the island — an Eagle measuring 5ft 91/2 in from wing tip to wing tip, a tiny grey Titmouse — 3 examples from the forest & a black Oyster Catcher. All Birds mentioned by Darwin, these are particularly interesting for this reason: – In this connection I have The White faced Oyster Catcher [Haematopus leucopodus]. The little Pink legged Plover [Pleuvianellus sociabilis] — of both of which only the one example collected In 1838 exists in the B.M. [British Museum],

[[6]]

a Scarlet & Black Woodpecker [Symbol for male] & [Symbol for female], Nuthatch [symbol for male] & [Symbol for female] [Oxyyurus], & such common but highly idiosyncratic forms as the ‘Tero-Tero’ Plover, Two species of Starling, a Blackbird. & the curious little mound owl. In Eggs, I have [1 word struck through illeg] done a certain amount
— all indeed that has been possible.
Mammals are a very poor fauna indeed:-
I doubt if there are more than some 20 sp. [species] all told — land & Marine — In & around the Island. What I have are almost exclusively mainly Rodents including the very remarkable Stenomys (?) corresponding to the Tuko-Tuko of Patagonia.
The most interesting valuable acquisition [1 word struck through illeg] is probably a Bat from the forest at the mouth of

[[7]]

Rio McClelland to the S. of the Bay. This is the only one I have seen, & there are men in Fuego who have been here years who have never before seen a bat & who doubted their existence.
I shot my first Guanaco [Anchenia] on Aug 28th.
They are very curious creatures indeed worthy inhabitants of this extraordinary land.
Their thick soft close woolly fleeces are very nice and warm — like nothing else I have ever seen. I cannot say I care much for the flesh.
The stomachs of these animals sometimes contain very extraordinary stones.
I have 5 — 2 large, 3 small — taken from the stomach of an old [symbol for male], shot by a Mr E. C. Clarke who has very kindly given them to me [.]
The material results of my work in other ways have been collections of insects — Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, & Hymenoptera
*I have taken about 150 photos — how these will turn out I don’t know, as they have yet to be developed. Time exposes in the wind, & in forest light, are so difficult to judge R.C. [signature]

[[8]]

…almost exclusively. Earthworms & marine [1 word struck through illeg] fresh water, [1sp] & hard shells. Amongst Odds & ends. I have 3 examples of a Green Lizard.
Darwin I think found neither Lizards nor Earthworms??
Mine¬ has been altogether a most interesting time however hard in the face of [illegible] of conditions.
If I have a regret it is that I have not been able to do more than the work of one man.
My last achievement has been the ascent of Nose Peak at the entrance of admiralty sound.
I’ve never tackled a harder physical task in all my days.
Darwin pronounced this forest “impenetrable”. Practically speaking it is.
I leave for home — D.V — at the end of Feb or the beginning of March, when I hope we shall meet.
This I will address & to the W.O.[War Office] as I think you will be in England by the time this reaches there: if not, it will go on to you without delay.

[[9]]

[Rotated page 8]

I much appreciate your wise & timely remarks on the question of my visit to New York being deferred No! I do not think it will ever come off now. I am myself quite heart whole & philosophic, as becomes one of my age & experience of life; but the lady I can see plainly is much vexed with herself — & at first was furious with me. Any woman who controls my destinies to the extent of being a partner in marriage must take me for what I am & I know I am — a solid honest serious straight man who will not forego what he conceives to be his responsibilities in life for all this woman [and] whoever comes into this world if these cannot see life things from [anywhere?] near the same point of perspective… Do let me put you up for the Savile on my return? It is a club to suit you down to the ground, & the expense — after all — is
little??

[[10]]

[Rotated page 5 ]

With every good wish for you in 1905, yours most sincerely, Richard Crawshay. [signature]

P.S. Congratulations on your book being in type. It will form part of my little library, ere long. By this mail I see Fitzwygram has gone to join the ever increasing majority. What a personality he had!

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2 – Letter to Smith from Richard Crawshay, Melchbourne Vicarage, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, 19 Oct 1907

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Letter 2
FS/3/3/3/2
Melchbourne Vicarage,
Sharnbrook,
Bedfordshire,
19/10/07.

[[1]]

My Dear Smith,
Seeing your promotion, to quite the top of the tree, in the Gazette this morning, I am impelled to write and congratulate you: & yet, it is with a deep sense of regret — and shame — that I find myself doing so, after this long period of silence on my part!
This must have puzzled you, if you have had time to think of

[[2]]

any such fleeting acquaintance as myself, although I can only say that to me you have always appeared a friend — one of whom too, I often think, & never otherwise than kindly, even though I have not been able to maintain proper communications on paper: another thing, also, reminded me of you today in the report of the Desecration to Kruger’s grave, in the association with the account I had from you now years ago of the somewhat similar thing done to Prince Christian’s grave.
This long silence has been due to my “way of life” since my return

[[3]]

from Tiera del Fuego what with work at what has culminated in a great book (“The Birds of Tierra del Fuego”), & my dear Mother’s death occurring in the midst of this –completely paralysing me for a time — I have almost “gone under” as a member of the world in which I have hitherto lived.
Perhaps, you will understand? So many cannot! “He laughs at scars who never felt a wound” — I have never more thoroughly realized than in the course of the last 2 ½ years. Long since, your work has seen the light of day.
I remember all you told me — &

[[4]]

still more so all I saw — of your method of working at this. As for my own effort, it has almost been the end of me. But, if I may say so, the result is worthy of a whole life better than mine.
At the outset, I had no idea of attempting more than a paper for the P. Z. S., [Proceedings of the Zoological Society] on the “Ibis” (the organ of the British Ornithological Union). It then, worked into a book. Quaritch finally on taking on himself the whole cost of publication was so nice about it & so anxious to have a really handsome book that I set myself resolutely to work to achieve this; & the further I progressed the more I came to find to do, until really

[[5]]

there seemed to be no end to my task.
Briefly summed up, the book consists of an account of all species of birds collected & observed by me, embodying all I am able I to say myself together with everything I have been able to discover of interest or importance or written by others. This involved a lot of research in the libraries of the R.G.S, [Royal Geographical Society] Z.S [Zoological Society] & of the B.M [British Museum]
I have even investigated the records of such old-time voyages as Magellan (Magalhaens is his correct name), to take, Drake, Cavendish, Sarmiento, Hawkins, Narborough, De Bougainville, Cook, & of course

[[6]]

King’s Stokes & Fitzroy’s Survey of the “Adventure & “Beagle”: 1826 -1836 (in which Survey Darwin was naturalist from 1832-1836)
All later A– such as the “Astrolabe” & [“illegible”] Antarctic expedition, & the “Erebus” & “Terror” under Clarke Ross – I have also comprehended as far as I have been able to see my way.
The book has 21 hand-coloured plates by Keulemans (who is considered the best bird artist of the day, or stone at least), landscapes from my photos, a map (by Stranford) & an illustrated dedication. *
Tierra del Fuego being such a
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“To those who farthered me by the way” — R.C [signature]

[[7]]

unique & little-understood island, I thought it well to devote a lengthy preface to it — historically, physically, botanically & zoologically — divided up into the headings “Tierra del Fuego” “Flora”, “Fauna” & “Last Words”.
The introduction is brief & deals with the main subject of the book.
I hope to have a copy for you.* It has progressed towards publication as far as my having received, last week, a completely – sketched copy unbound.
I think the price will be about £3=10: perhaps more.
You will remember telling me how interested you are in such primitive races of man as the Onas? Well! I have written a good deal about the in the preface. I hope, too, that I shall be the means
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
* I take ’30: ‘ only 300 are issued. R.C [signature]

[[8]]

Of having them henceforth protected & not — deliberately exterminated — as hitherto.
Someday, ere I again go abroad — I think of another journey to the land of my last sojourn: people, too, press me to go — I hope to see you once more.
Right glad am I to see you promoted to your present position!
Doubtless, you will keep up touch with Todd.
Here, I am making my base with my brother, who is Chaplain — vicar to St John, The Lord-Lieutenant of this county. It is a nice quiet restful place with few neighbours & these all exceedingly friendly. There are, in fact, only three families anywhere near — the St Johns (who own the whole country) & two others closely related to them, I shoot — a bit — Partridge driving; where one sees something of the “complexities & unrealities of modern civilisation” about which I have written in my “Last Words” on Tierra

[[9]]

[rotated the first page of the letter]

Del Fuego. To the Old Great — Game Hunter, it is a credulous spectacle — & [illegible] — to see young men shooting in England — with their leaders & their [illegible] seats (On which they sit waiting for the birds) & cigarettes always in their mouths. However, though I shoot with them, I have none of this! With all best wishes!
Yours most sincerely,

Richard Crawshay [signature]

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4 – Letter to Smith from Richard Crawshay, Melchbourne Vicarage, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, 14 Nov 1907

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Letter 4

[FS/3/3/3/4]

Melchbourne Vicarage,

Sharnbrook, S.O.,

Bedfordshire,

14/11/07

[[1]]

My dear Smith,

I was only too sorry no to be able to get to you during the three days I was in London: as almost always with me on these flying visits, I come away without having done many things which I had hoped to do.

I first do as much as I can — normally many things in many ways.

But I am glad to hear from you again: your letters are always comprehending — & sympathetic.

From Read I have heard this morning, & he sends me the enclosed note

[[2]]

of works on the Onas. He says: – “General treatises on anthropology naturally only mention accidental notes on a tribe like the Ona. The enclosed list will give your W. O. friend more to think about & give him the opportunity of ‘reading in Spanish, German & Swedish as well as English & French”

Looking through the references given, I am rather afraid that these after all may disappoint you.

To some you may not be able to obtain & access so readily anywhere as at the anthropological society, above the Z.S. [zoological society], at 3 Hanover square; & to some — Cork’s voyages — perhaps only at the B.M. [British Museum] — atthough I happen to know there is a copy in the Z.S. library.

[[3]]

In any case, I am sure Read will help you all he can & if you are able to make his acquaintance some time at the B.M. there he is “keeper of British & Medieval Antiquities & Ethnography.”

I have been reading your chapter on “Animal Heat” — twice  over — with all the intelligence I have at my command; & although of course — I am not [especially] advanced to take in all its detail, I smile — follow you in the main essentials ; & consider your point is proved to all understanding readers of open mind.

It is simply common sense.

Has it occurred to you, to get in the thin edge of your wedge into prejudice by experiment — to convince them by actual demonstration?

Reforms, & departures from old — established usage very often can only be effected in this way

[[4]]

for any good I can do, I will try to strike a parallel with the [horse] in man as illustrated by the Ona. First, however, I may do wisely to consult some leading work on human physiology — Michael Foster’s perhaps — is horrid committing oneself by starting from some wrong premise, although on broad lines what applies to man should apply to the horse. The Onas are extraordinarily hard-lived in their natural state, but die off like this in autumn if clothed & brought to live in buildings. This is an established fact: it is not more hypothesis.

Later I may have the pleasure of seeing you: perhaps a fortnights hence, what I expect be in London again!

About that time, I hope to have a copy of my book for you: binding by hand takes time.

Have you seen any notice of “Lost Birds” by Walter Rothschild?

I enclose the “morning point” review in case not

I rather expected he would be roughly handled,

[[5]]

[Rotated first page]

For I already knew what one of the greatest authorities thought of this book, & had myself seen it.

In the case of one bird — the Dodo – he greatly disappointed me. By his meagre account — a bird which is so especially rich in history: such quaint old monographs as there are of it.

Yours most sincerely

Richard Crawshay [signature]

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A Few Of My Favourite Things

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I thought before I leave my role here, and go off to study for my MA in Archives and Records Management, it would be a nice idea to share snippets of my favourite finds and favourite materials that I’ve had the pleasure of working with during my time with RCVS Knowledge’s historical collections.

For those of you who also follow us on social media you might be aware of some of the fun we’ve had using hashtags whilst photographing our daily finds and tasks.

I have enjoyed never having to beat the Monday blues whilst I’ve been working here. In fact Mondays have been every colour imaginable and I’ve been celebrating that with #marbledmondays on our Instagram account

Highlights of our #marbledmondays photographs on Instagram

It didn’t stop with Mondays – #tinytuesdays, #waybackwednesdays, #throwbackthursdays and #finebindingfridays, have all allowed me to engage with our library and archive collections in new ways, and of course, to show them off!

More photographs showing off our collections!

I have also adventured to far-flung lands alongside fascinating people, such as Captain Richard Crawshay, who authored the book The Birds of Tierra del Fuego (published in 1907). His letters are now transcribed and can be viewed via our Digital Collections website here.

Page from letter to Frederick Smith from Richard Crawshay, Useless Bay [Inutil Bay], Tierra del Fuego, [Chile], 29 Jan 1905 [FS/3/3/3/1]

This is one of my favourite quotes from Crawshay’s letters (pictured above):

“The most sensational birds I have – to me at least are a tiny Reed Warbler no larger than a Bumble Bee, a tiny black wren from the depths of the forest at the entrance of Admiralty Sound, a tiny tiny owl from the forest weighing exactly 3 oz, probably the largest bird of prey in the island – an Eagle measuring 5ft 91/2 inches from wing tip to wing tip…”

One of my favourite people to get to know was Henry Gray, an early 20th century veterinary surgeon. I am cataloguing his papers and have learnt so much through the words of his correspondents. Henry Gray’s papers have given me a great insight into the plight of the veterinary professional in the 1900’s. Through Gray and his peers I have learnt about the veterinary surgeon’s tremendous work ethic and their incredible anatomical, clinical, pathological and physiological knowledge. One of the most interesting letters I found in Gray’s papers was one where he had a response from a librarian from the Royal Society of Medicine after requesting Ivan Pavlov’s research into canine hysteria and neurasthenia. It put Gray’s life into a greater context for me – imagine being able to reach out to Pavlov himself for your own research?

Letter to Henry Gray from H E Powell, Librarian, Royal Society of Medicine, 9 Oct 1929

The most recent exciting discovery was a batch of finely detailed 19th century artworks which the archivist found tucked away in a cupboard. The pieces have now been carefully restored and we have an online shop where you can pick up a select few as prints! (You can visit the shop here: shop.rcvsvethistory.org) I enjoyed getting to digitise these amazing paintings and drawings, even though the art is as equally beautiful as it is grisly! Ovet the next few months, we are going to be asking our Instagram and Twitter audience to help us identify the parts of the anatomy we can’t, so stay tuned for that! There are many other amazing artists in our collection and it was interesting for me to find out that some of them had actually practiced as veterinary surgeons too, such as Edward Mayhew and John Roalfe Cox.

Anatomical artwork by Joseph Perry, January 1835. From the Field Collection.

A page from John Roalfe Cox’s sketchbook

Thank you to everyone who has been following along with us. I have had so many great experiences in my time working for RCVS Knowledge. I’ve been here over a year and there is still so much more to discover. I’m so glad to have had a hand in sharing the important historical value of such an amazing profession.

-Helena-